Mooseheads’ Nathan MacKinnon Selected First Overall in 2013 NHL Draft

Newark, NJ – The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is proud to announce that Nathan MacKinnon of the Halifax Mooseheads was selected first overall in the 2013 NHL Draft by the Colorado Avalanche.

For the ninth time in its history, a player from the QMJHL has been chosen first overall in the NHL Entry Draft. MacKinnon now enters a select group of hockey greats including Guy Lafleur selected by the Montreal Canadiens in 1971, Dale Hawechuk selected by Winnipeg in 1981, Mario Lemieux by Pittsburgh in 1984, Pierre Turgeon who went to Buffalo in 1987, Alexandre Daigle first overall pick by the Ottawa Senators in 1993, Vincent Lecavalier in 1998 by Tampa Bay, Marc-André Fleury who was picked by the Penguins in 2003 as well as Sydney Crosby who was chosen by the same team in 2005.

This season MacKinnon scored 32 goals and 43 assists for 75 points in just 44 games for the Mooseheads.  The 17-year-old from Halifax, NS, also represented Canada at the World Junior Championship before leading his hometown Mooseheads to their first President Cup title and MasterCard Memorial Cup Championship where he was named tournament MVP with 13 points in four games.

With the selection, MacKinnon becomes the seventh straight CHL player to be chosen first overall following the Oilers’ selection of Nail Yakupov of the Sarnia Sting last season, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins of the Red Deer Rebels in 2011, and Taylor Hall of the Windsor Spitfires in 2010.  John Tavares of the London Knights was selected first overall by the New York Islanders in 2009, following the Sting’s Steven Stamkos chosen by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2008, and the Knights’ Patrick Kane picked first overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2007.

The 2013 NHL Draft continues Sunday with all seven rounds taking place at the Prudential Centre in Newark, New Jersey.